Bottle-stopper.



PATENTED JULY 3 INVENTOR'.

LTamasT f Uummfi,

J. M. GUMMING.

BOTTLE STOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.16. 190s.

UNITED STA'I.ES

PATENT OFFICE.

BOTTLE-STOPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 3 1906.

Application filed ua y 16,1906. Serial No. 296.261.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES M. CUMMING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Newark, in the county of Essex and State of New Jersey, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Stoppers; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full,

clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figuresof reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention has reference generally to improvements in stoppers forbottles; and the invention relates more particularly to a novel form ofstopper and a locking mechanism connected therewith which can be broughtin holding or locked engagement with a portion of the bottle when thestopper is inserted in the mouth of the bottle, t arrangement of theparts of the locking mechanism being such that the stopper can not bewithdrawn from the mouth of the bottle except by the proper personprovided with a key for the manipulation of the looking mechanism.

The principal object of my present invention is to provide a simple,neat, and easilymanipulated stopper which is to be inserted in theordinary manner in the mouth of the bottle, but when once inserted isimmediately secured in its non-removable position to prevent tamperingwith the contents of the bottle or to avoid accidents by mistaking thepoisonous contents of the bottle for the non-poisonous contents ofanother bottle.

In other words, the purpose of the invention is to provide a positivesafeguard against removal of the stopper from the mouth of the bottleexcept by the person entrusted with the key for actuating the lockinmechanism with which the stop er is provi ed.

Other objects of t 's invention not at this time more particularlymentioned will be clearly understood from the following detaileddescription of the same.

The invention consists, primarily, in the novel stopper and lockingmechanism combined therewith hereinafter set forth; and, furthermore,this invention consists in the novel arrangements and combinations ofthe devices and parts, as well as in the details of the construction ofthe same, all of which will be hereinafter more fully set forth and thenfinally embodied in the clauses of the claim which are appended to andwhich. form an essential part of this specification.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, inwhich- Figure 1 is a sectional representation of the neck and mouthportion of a bottle and an elevation of a stopper made according to theprinciples of my present invention; and Fig. 2 is a transverse sectionof the said parts, both of said views showing the locking mechanism withwhich the stopper is provided in its locked or holding engagement withan inner annular recess withln the neck of the bottle. Fig. 3 is asection similar to that shown in Fig. 2, but illustrating the lockingmechanism in its unlocked relation with the said annular recess whenactuated by means of a key; and Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical sectionof the stopper, taken on line 4 4 in- Fig. 1 and looking in thedirection of the arrow X. Fig. 5 is a view of a key which is used forthe manipulation of the locking mechanism shown in said Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the said above-describedviews to indicate correspondin parts.

Referring now to are said drawings, the reference character 1 indicatesthe neck portion of any suitable bottle with which my novel form ofcombined stopper and locking mechanism is to be used. One form of suchstopper is illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, the same comprising asuitably-shaped hollow or chambered stopper-body 2, which is Lpreferablyprovided with a closed bottom 3.

urrounding the outer cylindrical surface and the bottom 3 of saidstopper-body 2, 9

which is preferably made of metal or other suitable hard material, is acovering or shell 4, made of cork, rubber, or other suitable resilientmaterial, adapted to be brought in contact with the irmer surface of theneck and mouth of the usual forms of bottles. The upper marginal edgeportion of said covering or shell 4 is fitted, preferably, against anannular shoulder or offset .5 of the said stop er-body 2, the latterthen being preferab y formed with a contracted neck portion 6, which isformed with an open and outwardly-flaring portion or mouth 7 for theinsertion and proper arrangement of the parts wi thin the hollow orchambered stopllC per. This 0 en and outwardly-flaring portion or moutafter the mechanism has been assembled is made to receive asemispherical or other suitably-shaped ea or cover, as 8, which isrigidly fixed in p ace against removal from the stopper-body by means ofpins 9 or any other well-known fastening means.

, Pivotally arranged upon pins 10,- held in suitably-disposed ears orlugs 11, preferably within the contracted neck portion 6 of the stopper,are oscillating arms 12, each arm 12 being provided at its lower partwith a holding member or bolt 13, each member or bolt 13 being made'witha chamfered or inclined edge 14. When in their normal initial ositions,a spring 15, supported upon stu s or lugs 16 upon the lower ortions ofsaid arms 12, causes the opposite y-projecting holding members or bolts13 to be forced in opposite and outward directions immediately into andthrough the oppositely located and reg istering openings or holes 17 and18 in the stopper-body 2 and the covering or shell 4, respectively, inthe manner clearly illustrated in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The upperportions of the said arms 12 extend into the chamber formed by the mouth7 and the cap or cover 8, being respectively located in close proximityto each other and upon opposite sides of a key-receiving stem or 0st 19,said stem extending across the sai chambered portion andterminatingdirectly back of a suitable keyhole 20, as clearly shown in Fig. 4 ofthe drawings. When the said arms 12 and their parts are in their normalinitial positions, (indicated in said Fi 2 of the drawings the stoppercan be reafily inserted in the mouth of the neck of the bottle, thechamfered or inclined ed es 14 of the bolts-or holding portions 13readily riding over the edge of the mouth of the bottle and becomingdepressed while passing downwardly within the neck of the bottle untilan annular depression 21 within the neck is reached, into which theholding members or bolts 13 are immediately forced by the action of thespring 15, and whereby the stopper is locked in its closing positionwithin the neck of the bottle against removal therefrom until the twoarms 12 and their parts are brought into the positions shown in Fig. 3of the drawings by the insertion of a key, as 22, (see Fig. 5,) into thekeyhole 20 and upon the stem or post 19. When the key is turned in theusual manner, its tongues 23 are rotated between the upper andclosely-located end portions of the arms 12 and in en agement therewith,thereby moving said end portions farther apart, and consequentlywithdrawing the holding members or bolts 13 from their locking orholding engagement with the annular recess or depression 21, bringingthe parts in the positions shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings,-and thestopper can then be easily withdrawn from the mouth of the bottle.Assoon as the key is removed the parts assame their normal initialpositions, (indicated in said Fig. 2,) when the stopper is once moreready for use in closing the mouth and neck of the bottle.

To provide a safeguard against using any form of key for themanipulation of the looking mechanism of the stopper, the key 22 isprovided with several variously disposed tongues 23, havin the spaces 24between them, and within t 1e cover or cap 8 is a baffie-plate 25, whichis made in its edge with suitably-formed slots 26 and tongues 27, whichcorrespond with the tongues 23 and intermediate spaces 24 of the key 22,so as not to interfere with the turning of the key, but will serve as ameans to prevent a person using any other key for the manipulation ofthe arms 12 of the locking mechanism which is concealed within the bodyof the stopper.

From the foregoin description of my present invention it wil? be-clearlyseen that I have devised a simply-constructed stopper and lockinmechanism which can be used a with a bott e in the usual manner, but canbe withdrawn only by the person carrying the right key, so as to avoidthe stealing of or the tampering with the contents of the bottle, orwhen used with bottles containing poisonous matter it minimizes thedanger of making mistakes, which would otherwise result in seriousconsequences.

I claim- 1. A chambered stop er for bottles, comprising a stopper-bodyormed withbolt-receiving opemngs, a contracted neck, an open andoutwardly-flaring portion, a cap or cover on said outwardly-flaringportion, means for rigidly securing said cap or cover upon saidoutwardly-flaring portion, said outwardlyextending portion bein providedwith a keyhole, a pair of pivotugs in the said contracted neck, an armpivotally connected with each lug, a bolt upon each arm extending into abolt-receiving opening, a sprin arranged between the lower portions ofsai arms, and a key-receiving means between the upper portions of saidarms for the reception of a key for actuating said arms, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

2. The herein described stopper for bottles, comprising a stopper-bodyhaving a closed bottom and an annular shoulder, a resilient covering orshell surrounding said body and its bottom, said body and covering beingprovided with registering boltreceiving openings, a contracted neck, anopen and outwardly-flaring portion, a cap or cover on saidoutwardly-flaring portion, means for rigidly securing said cap or coverupon said outwardly-flaring ortion, said outwardly-extending portion einprovided with a keyhole, a pair of pivotugs in said contracted neck, anarm pivotally connected with each lug, abolt upon each arm extendinginto the In testimony that I claim the invention registeringbolt-receiving openings of said set forth above I have hereunto set myhand 10 itopper-bgdyl and covering, asprliing arrangad this 1 1th day ofJanuary, 1906.

etween t e ower ortionso sai arms, an a 5 key-receiving mea ris betweenthe upper or- JAMES CUMMING' tions of said arms for the reception of aey Witnesses: for actuating said arms, substantially as and JOHN M.MILLER, for the purposes set forth. I P. C. DOWNING.

